The Commandant of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Logistics Deport in Lungi in the Kaffu Bullom chiefdom, Port Loko district, Dr. Bala Mohamed has said Sierra Leone is so strategically located in the middle of ECOWAS countries with advantages by land, sea and air.
He made the statement when the Minister of Planning and Economic Development and delegation including the Parliamentary Committee on Planning and Economic Development visited the facility.
The Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Peter Yamba Koroma recalled that the ECOWAS baby project started ten years ago for a standby force under ECOWAS according to the ECOWAS Act as advised by the African Union to provide military intervention when the need arises and commended President Julius Maada Bio for his support to the project.
Other members of the Committee were Hon. Bash Kamara, Hon. Alima Fatoma and Hon. Adama Bangura.
Hon. Peter Yamba Koroma also disclosed that they are representing all 149 Members of Parliament which means that the entire Parliament of Sierra Leone was represented at the event and commended the Commandant and his entire team for a work well done.
According to the Commandant, Dr. Bala Mohamed, apart from other goverment officials, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) has visited the logistics base six times, recalled that on 4th March this year, an ECOWAS delegation from Nigeria visited the facility all in an effort to fast-track the complection of the buildings and assured that the work is of quality.
The Minister of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), Madam Kenyah Barlay acclaimed the team for their commitment and work to complete the project, expressed appreciation to ECOWAS and that she has taken note of the successes and challenges facing the project adding that Sierra Leone is proud to have the depot that should have been handed over and opened long ago.
However, she hoped the facilities would be handed over by September this year underscoring that she appreciates the synergy between ECOWAS and the Ministry.
Site II of the ECOWAS Logistics Depot comprises of 44 self-contained and well furnished single rooms for both junior and senior officers, training facilities for personnel of the 15-member states, 2 offices, a lecture room, an electronics library, translation room, IT, computer and technical rooms, 350 KVA generator, borehole, water tanks and solar panels.
Other facilities are the volley ball and tennis courts, car park, kitchen, canteen and swimming pool.
The facilities cover an 8.7 acres of land.
Leutentant Colonel Abu Bakarr Konneh of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces revealed that one of the challenges facing them is land grabbing and the construction of illegal structures on their lands that are yet to be utilized with the hope that the squatters would be compensated.
He urged the visiting delegation to engage the chiefdom stakeholders to resolve the issue or construct a fence around the land.
Site 1 of the ECOWAS Logistics Depot include the armory 1 and 2, the stores for arms and ammunitions, bombs, pistols, magazines and other devises that must be kept in a cool dry place with two standing air conditioners, vehicle repair garages, fuel depot, generator bay, the administrative and communications buildings, the storage areas, CCTV cameras and the control room.
